Electric water heater



Feb. 9 1926.

G. R. BLAKESLEY ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed 090% 1920 Patented Feb. 9,1926.

p A 1,512,466 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. BLAKESLEY, OI EDGEBTON,

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

Application filed December 4, 1920. Serial No. 428,218.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. BLAKnsLEr,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Edgerton, in the county of Rock and State of IVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in an Electric Water Heater; and I do hereby declare that the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. My invention relates to a heating apparatus for water in which water is passed over an electrically heated coil or device, and in which the electric current is controlled by the flow of the water.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simple electric water heater in which the electric current is turned on by the flow of the water and turned off when the fiow of the water is stopped.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel heating device that comes into contact with most of the water that flows thereover.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pipe or cylinder used in connection with my invention, with the cover removed.

- Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings:

In the different figures of the drawing, similar features are denoted by similar reference numerals.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown a hollow cylindrical member 1, which may be a pipe, a cylinder or any similar structure made of insulating material, through which water can flow. In

one end of said member, I provide an enlarged bore having the beveled annular shoulder 2, against which the beveled end of a spiral heating device 3 is designed to.

abut. In the outer end of said member, I preferably secure a removable hollow section 4 having an annular beveled shoulder 5 to contact with the outer beveled end of the heating device or element 3 to properly secure the same in place. The hollow section 4, may be screw-threaded within. the

water containing member 1 so as to provide an adjustable abutment for the heating device.

While the heating device 3- may itself be an electrical conductor of high resistance, I preferably employ an electrical resistance which may consist of an insulated coil of wire 3 wrapped around the spiral element and connected at one end with a contact 6- in an insulated plug 7 in the water pipe 1 and connected at the other end with a like contact 8 in an insulated plug 9. Thus the electrical current from some convenient source-can enter through one contact, traverse the coil and heat the same and likewise the spiral element and emerge at the other contact.

In order to control the current leading to l ing an upwardly projecting-pin 19 engageable with the end walls of an arcuate slot 13 in a superposed plate 12 pivoted at 12 and effective to normally withdraw the movable contact 18 into inoperative position by means of a coil spring 14 surrounding a link 15 connected with said plate 12 and passing through an aperture in the flange 16 rising from the water container 1; the spring 14 being confined under certain compression between the wall 16 and an Iabutment 17 near the end of the link mem- A coil tension spring 22 secured on a lug 23 beyond the casing and extending through a slot in the casing is connected to the pin 19. The lug 23 and pivot 12 apart in the same transverse vertical plane passing through the water pipe and at right angles thereto. It is therefore apparent that as soon as pin 19 is shifted slightly to are spaced either side of the said vertical plane, the spring 22 will become effective to snap thev movable contact.

The movable contact member 18 is rovided with a conductor 20 exten ing through a slot in the casing which may be made sufiiciently rigid if desirable to serve as a handle for ,manual operation of the switch. The current may enter through the conductor 20 and if the switch is closed, traverse the same and enter the heater through the contact 6 and emerge at contact. 8.

' The switch is preferably rendered automatic by means the sprin s and the force of the infiowing water. This is effected by connecting the link with the water valve 24 which has a stem 25 projectin through an extension 26 of member 1 an into the casing in the plane of. the link 15, the connection being made by a crank 27 firmly secured on the valve stem, and a link 28 is loosely pivoted to the crank and the link 15. The construction is such that the inflowing water will open the valve 24 and turn the crank 27 so that the link 15 will be shifted to the right against the tension of the spring 14, thus moving the member 12 toward the right. The pin 19 will be constrained to move with the member 12 and when the same passes the aforementioned vertical plane, the spring 22 will become efi'ective to shift or aid in shifting the movable switch member 18 into closed position into contact with the stationary switch plate 10.

The cylinder or pipe member 1 may be connected with an inlet pipe 29 coupled with the extension 26 and the flow of water through the inlet pipe may be controlled by a faucet. Thus by opening the faucet, the water will flow through the extension 26 and force the valve 24 open against the tension of the spring 14, which is designed to be sufliciently weak to be overcome by the force of the water, and the switch will be closed as above explained. And when the faucet is closed, relieving thereby the water pressure on the valve, the spring 14 will become eifective to draw the member 12 toward the left. The pin 19, being at this time in the right hand end of the slot 13, will be constrained to travel with the member 12 until a point just to the left of the previously described vertical lane is reached, when spring 22 becomes e ective to snap or assist in snapping the movable contact member 18 into the position shown in Figure 1. It will hence be observed that the tension of spring 14 need not be any greater than is reauired to draw the pin 19 a little to the le t of the said vertical plane, and it hence can be made sufficiently weak so as to be overcome'by the iniiowing water. 1

The pipe section 32 may lead to a bath tub, shower, sink or to any point where hot 'water is desired, and in case where the pipe dent that the spiral course will keep the water in contact with the heat roducing medium for a longer period t an if a straight course were pursued, and further ,in following this spiral course, the water will be agitated so that most of it will come directly in contact with the heated wires. These are important features of my apparatus and produce far better results than the externally wire wrapped pipes now on the market.

It will according be observed that my device is automatically regulated in a novel way and that the heating device is designed to give the most efiicient results and that by having the water traverse a circuitous or spiral course, it remains longer in contact with the heat producing medium.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

In an automatic control for an electrical water heater, means for controlling the electric current comprising a stationary contact member, a pivoted contact member having a stud projecting therefrom, a pivoted actuator having an arcuate slot for receivin said stud, a spring connected to said stud for alternately actuating said movable contact member to open or closed position, 'a spring actuated rod attached to said actuator for oscillating the same, and a flap valve connected to said rod and operable for shifting said rod for moving said movable contact member towardclosed position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE R. BLAKESLEY. 

